if it shon upon it it made an exceeding noyse as if it had within it some living soule or divine spirit of inspiration it was the device of man as Cornelius Tacitus and Strabo say Who can but admire of that Woodden Pigeon which Archito the Tarentine made the which as Historians report was composed by the Mathematicial Art with such constellations such influences charracters of the Plannets that it flew to and fro amongst the Pigeons in the aire In immitation of which Albertus Magnus framed a head of Copper which spake as exactly as if it had been a living man Gallen an Author worthy of credit relates that Archimides made a Looking-glasse with such influence of beams that from the shore it fired the enemies Ships two Leagues off the which may not appear strange nor from the way of truth if we call to minde that Spanyard which not many years past made such strange Looking-glasses that they represented to the spectators two different shapes at once one of life the other of death a thing so marvelous and rare that many modern Philosophers not being able to finde out the natural reason of such a representation they remained in suspence commending both the Artist and the work many other and very strange looking-glasses have been made amongst the which we must not forget that of which Ptolomy makes mention that looking therein it represented to the view so many faces as there had passed houres in the day Can there be a greater cunning in any creature then that which was in the hand of a man who wrote the Iliads of Homer which are many thousand Verses in so small a quantity of paper as would be contained in the shell of a nut as Plinie expresseth Another made a ship with all its furniture as Sayles Cordages and Tacklings in so small a compasse that a Bee might cover it with its wings But methinks sufficient hath been spoken because they are examples of most lustre honour and esteem amongst the Antients also by them admired and set forth as proofs of the excellency and glory of the spirit of man and how God hath endowed him with divine wisdom Now I shall in few words expresse some Acts of the most famous persons of our times that their honourable deeds may not be buried in the profound pit of Oblivion nor yield the glory thereof to the Antients Amongst all the Trophies Honours Triumphs Glories Spoyles and Exployts acted by our fore-fathers I finde none can be compared with the Art of Printing for this so wonderfull as strange invention is of so profitable a use that the best of former inventions cannot be equalized with the dignity thereof or dare to appear before it this only keeps conserves and ayds all our conceptions inventions and projects from the dangers of forgetfulnesse it s the trusty treasurer of our immaginations it makes the memorial of our ingenuity and wisdome immortal and adds eternal being and glory thereto it goes on perfecting from age to age the fruits labours and profitable studies which men produce wearying searching and spending their brains and times in the Schools and Universities all other inventions how fine and exactly soever they appeared men have continually gon adding somthing to them towards perfecting the first grounds and foundation of them and that is done by the quaint wits which every day arise but this was so happy an invention brought to light with so much perfection and desire so well ordred polished and beautified that they cannot add to it nor deminish from it any thing of lustre or worth esteem the works thereof are so strange quick executed with such diligence and celerity of action that one man alone can make in a natural day more Characters and Letters in Printing then the nimblest and most deligent Scrivener in the world can write in two years Who now can but laugh at the antient manner of writing though not condemned the miserable barbarisme and weak inventions of the antients who as Strabo writes in his Book of Sita Orbis wrote first in Ashes afterwards on the bark of Trees after that on Lawrel leaves after that on sheets of Lead then on Parchment and afterwards in Paper If there were changes then in the things upon which they wrote there was also in the Instruments with which they wrote for on Stones they wrote with Iron with a Pencil on the Lawrel leaves with the Finger on the Ashes and with a Knife on the bark of Trees with Canes on the Parchment and on the Paper with Quils the sorts of Ink also were diverse the first was a liquor of the Fish which we call Turtle after that joyce of Mulberries then Smut or Soot and after that of Vermillion was made that which was compounded of Gum Gaul and Coppers I have made so prolix a story of this thaâ— men might see what pains and lâ—bour that famous Germain did free us from who in the year one thousand four hundred ninety and three Invented the Art of PRINTING I could if I would next to the former invention give the second Crown Invention of Powder to the Fryer that found out the mystery of powder and shot off Cannons Muskets and Pistols which are cruel instruments of War were it not that I have declared in my former Treatise of the miseries of humane life that this imagination was more prejudicial then honourable more hurtfull than profitable to mankinde Yet it s a strange thing what Brasava writes of a Citizen of Ferrara who found out the way of making Powder that should not sound or make a noise though it be shot out of Cannon Gun or Musquet But we will leave these thundering flashes of Jupiter invented by the suggestions of the Devil for the destruction of mankind and return to the consideration of the subtile and divine wisdome of the men of latter times amongst the which we ought to esteem the cunning of that Italian who presented to the Duke of Vrbane a ring of Gold with a precious stone set in it the which he had made a perfect Dial with which the hand gave a blow to advertise the hour to him that wore it who can but admire at what an Authour worthy of credite writes He saw publiquely done in Millain a man wash his hands with melted and boyling Lead having first washed them over with the juyce of a certain herb What greater wonder in Art or Science can we behold then this That man should make his face and hands which consist of flesh and skin so tender soft and delicate as nothing more to become so strong hardy and defensible that they are able to resist the grand force and violence of fire and of so penetrating and burning liquor as lead is what can mans ingenuity do more or his Art achieve further since he dare adventure to put his naked limbs in the Fire and it doth not burn or consume them If perhaps this seems impossible you think that
The Theatre of the VVorld THE Theatre OF THE WORLD IN The which is discoursed at large the many miseries and frailties incident to mankinde in this mortall Life With a Discourse of the Excellency and Dignity of Mankinde all Illustrated and Adorned with choice Stories taken out of both Christian and Heathen Authors very delightful and profitable for any Judicious READER Being a Work of that Famous French Writer Peter Bovistau launay in three distinct Books formerly translated into Spanish by Baltazar Peres del Castillo and now into English By Francis Farrer Merchant London Printed for Sam. Ferris at his shop in Cannon-street neer London-stone 1663. To the Lady SIBBEL BOTELER my ever honoured Mother Madam THough You have and I am sure may claim a Maternal intrest in several hopefull industrious and obedient Sons the Delight the Prop and Honour of your Age Yet none of them hath been more experimentally sensible of the adverse stroke of Fortune and thereby more apprehensive of the various Miseries which attend mankinde upon the stage of this World then my self If I should have penned mine own tragick story it would have appeared sad enough but casting mine Eye upon several works worthy esteem I found none more agreeable to most mens especially mine own condition or any more fit for publick contemplation in these latter ages then this which is aptly stiled as I have found the world to be a meer Theatre where every man acts his part And indeed I could find no way more fit to Vindicate my life from suspitions of Idleness and the Aspersions of uncharitable Tongues then to produce this Translation as a witnesse of my reall desires and intentions to pass those too many spare hours days nay years which God hath been pleased to inflict as a tryal not in a vitious mispending but rather in a modest humble and virtuous contemplating enjoying and improving of time which I conceive ought to be employed first to Gods glory secondly for the good of mankinde in general and thirdly for purchasing present private good and future blisse As for the subject it is in other languages very learnedly set forth and fear I have rather ignorantly abused then voluntarily misused it having been bred a negotiating Merchant And not an Industrious or judicious Scholler which am confident to your self with all that know me and I hope to those that know me not will cause a favourable construction for what errours may therein be committed Dear Madam though to your many extraordinary and more then common blessings and favours I am not able to return any thing but what otherways Low love duty and obedience yet let me request an acceptance of this small mite of my endeavours upon which It you are pleased but to cast a smile I shal be joyful and withal perswaded that having your judicious Approbation there will be no moderate or charitable person but will accept the discourse though they may not applaud the stile of him who now a ever he hath done subscribes himself Your Dutifull and Obedient Son Francis Farrer The Authour to the Courteous Reader wisheth Health and Happinesse DEsiring friendly Reader with some speciall service to gratifie the favourable entertainment thou didst vouchsafe to a former translation called Chelâ—donio and other works of ours amongst many and various cogitations and purposes which offered to my view none did appear more worthy the speculation and the contemplation of a Christian Commonweale than this present Treatise taken for the most part out of St. Augustines Book de civitate Dei In the which he doth mannage a feirce warre against all Infidels and enemies of the Christian Faith and puts to confusion and conquers those Pagans with their own weapons the which gave me boldnesse to take so great a charge on my shoulders trusting by the grace of God to bring to light in our vulgar Tongue a work that may in some measure serve for a sâ—eild against the Assaults of many new Sects and Opinions which doe spring and increase throughout the whole world in these our dayes But here I will not trespasse upon thy patience to put thee to consider how many Books and how many Greek as well as Latine and French Authours it was necessary to read and â—ur 〈…〉 to bring to effect so difficult a designe although from this work I have not gathered so necessary a fruit as to understand the full intention of good St Augustine which in this Book rather then in others his works appeares more intricate to be found out yet from a continual and much Reading of Greek Latine and French Authors I at length produced this which I call The Theatre of the World adorned with the best and most commendable Sentences of them Therefore not to take from any the honour due to them gentle Reader thou mayest believe that the Treatise I present to thy view is the choice conceptions of other mens works the which if thou shouldest call it health or making spoiles of other mens labours would be taken for no offence And indeed it s no other but the gathering together of Sentences with great toyle giving to understand that such like Treatises as this is which are in a manner Satirical and Anotomies of Vice ought to be set forth with Examples and Sentences of Superiours rather thâ—n with a lofty stile or a high manner of writing or speaking Object And now I doe well believe theâ—e will not want some delicate Paliate that wil say its true here are things worth our Reading but amongst the Roses you have put sharp Thornes and prickles Here are many things very rough and rigerous and much severity and bitterness used in them Answ To such galled Horses that will not stand the currying and are skittish when their delights and desires are touched in the least who will keep a liberty to themselves of doing evil think that none dare nor can reprove them Let me intreat these men before they passe further in perusall of this Treatise to read and call to remembrance with what Authority and rigour the Antient Fathers of the Church as St. Ambrose St. Jerome St. Augustine Origines Tertullian Eusebius Lactantius and others did reprove the Vices and Sins of their times also with what a bold heat â—f zeal did St Bernard write to Pope Eugenius With what rage doth he rise up against scandlous Prelates in that Sermon which he made in the Synod concerning spiritual â—astors and in his three and thirtieth Sermon upon the Songs when he comes to strike so home in the reprehension of Vices that he makes sin appear to be an Imposthume of all filthy and abominable corruptions crying and complaining against the great Pompes and delights and the vast expenses which the Bishops in his time lived at leaning the poore sheep of Jesus Christ to suffer and his Churches to fall to the ground What pricks would it be to their Consciences to consider the curse that fell upon Ananias and
velvet and more delicate soft and amorous if it could be procured They are like our Pressbyterians who being onely the fag end indeed of Geneva Calvanists would have a King But how He must be according to their fond humors or else a Commonwealth for them Our vicious flatterrers will have none of S. John Baptists ridged and rough way of living his course garment doth not please their palates No no they seek for entertainment in the Courts of Kings and Princes of the Earth all their employment is to seek their own pleasures and delights this is the greatest of their cares and for this they watch night and day and to obtain this their desire they employ all their prudence and industry But in vain do these men labour and vex their spirits to put a gloss or cover upon their pernicious ways and counsels but let them look to it there will come a day in which all things shall be clearly discovered before God that all the World may see and know them This the Royal Prophet David understood when he said Whither can I go to hide my self frem thee O Lord or whither shall I fly from thy sight If I soar up to Heaven thou art there if I go down to Hell there shall thy hand finde me out if I take the wings of the morning and fly from East to West thou canst easily overtake me If I should hide cover and wrap my self up in nights obscurity the greatest darkness is light to thee He that made the hearing and gave being to thy fight can he want hearing and sight So that for conclusion What a terrible abomination is it to see that Man onely who is the most vile wretched and invalid Worm that moves upon the earth except his hope of an eternal bliss I say that he which is the most miserable of all creatures should dare to violate the Laws of Nature seldom or never keeping within compass as other Creatures do with moderation nay further he is so audacious and shameless that he will assay to stand at defiance with the Great God of Nature and rise up in Rebellion against him who when he pleases can cast him into that Bottomless Pit whence there is no Redemption Who can but he astoniwed at thy fantastical pride and presumption O thou fragil and inconfiderate man that thou alone of all other creatures darest resist thy God who is glorified and ever adored by Heaven and Earth Stars Planets and Elements Angels Beasts and Devils therefore be not so obdurate O man The Second BOOK OF THE Theatre of the World Wherein is discovered The miseries in all estates of Mankinde from his first forming in the womb of his Mother to his retiring into the womb of the Earth the Grave WE have in the first Book treated of Mans condition as he is compared with other Creatures and shewed he hath not onely no cause wherefore to wax arrogant extol or set a higher esteem of himself then they but that he is in many things more useless and unprofitable then they And now having laid this shallow foundation and commenced as in a foul Copy to draw out a Tract of his miseries it is convenient for prosecuting our Discourse to enter more deeply into this matter by continuing this sad and Tragical discourse of the miseries of the life of Man First looking upon his beginning and original generation and going on discoursing of all his several ages and particular passages of his life until we conduct him to his grave where all troubles are ended And first let us consider the matter of which he is engendred Is it think you any thing else but a kinde of filthiness and corruption and the place of its conception what is it but like a foul and loathsome prison all the time that he continues in the belly of his Mother what is he but like a little lump of flesh without knowledge or being After this manner is the original of mans being When the Mother hath received and retained those two different seeds in her body which by a natural heat is compacted there encreases a tender skin over the same much like to that which thou shalt finde in an egg that is half boiled so that it appears more like an egg that is addle or like an untimely birth then any other thing some few days after the blood doth mixâ— with the vitals which being joyned they begin to boil the faster and from this seething heat is produced three small swellings or risings of the which afterwards are formed the three principal parts of the body and the chiefest pieces of harness that adorn this proud Creature Man which are the Liver the Heart and the brain which last is the most excellent part of this Edisice the scituation and abode of all the offices belonging to the body and the true fountain from whence flows those five waiting-Gentlemen that attend in this Palace upon those faculties of Understanding Wit and Memory it is the true Register of Reason and if consequently we should consider the order of the Creation of the other parts of the body how and when they are formed and fashioned and how the Creature being in the Mothers belly begins to evacuate a kinde of urine thorow those small pores of the navel and how the said urine is evacuated into another small vessel a little divided from the Creature whiah is ordained by Nature for the said purpose also how it doth not make its digestion in the usual part for it doth not eat nor receive its nutriment by the mouth nor doth the stomack or the place of digestion exercise their duties as yet by which means the guts receive no excrement Also the first six days it is like curdled milk the next nine it appears like blood the other twelve it converts to a tender flesh and in the eighteen days following the soul or a kinde of living breath is infused into it If Reader thou dost but feriously ruminate upon the foregoing description of the Principium of man by Nature where shall I finde such a Diamantinâ— heat that will not break out into the height of sorrowful expressions to behold a thing so miserable a spectacle so strange and grievous It s very little what we have yeâ— said if we make a neerer approach to consider mans frailty if we make a farther entrance in contemplation into what follows concerning his condition who can but be astonish'd to consider by what strange ways it is nourished in the Womb by what exquisite means the sustenance is conveyed into it because it cannot receive it at the mouth Also if we do but seriously look into the feeble weak and tender condition of it there if thou doest but in the least jostle or strike the Mother or doth extinguish as some hold a Light before her the Creature suddenly stiflles and dies meerly with the scent of that stinking vapour all which was considered by Pliny where bewailing the miseries
detestable iniquities Is there any thing more usefull and necessary then water in this life for neither men nor beast can passe without it to wave a large discoursing what an Ornament it is to the beautifying the Globe of the Earth and how that it is the most ancient and powerfull Element of all the Four as Isidore and Pliny writs it will undermine and pull down great Hills and Rocks it is predominant in the Earth it quencheth the fire and being exhaled and converted into vapours it pearceth into the Region of the Aire above where it ingenders and multiplieth that it may distill and come down again and causeth the Earth to produce all things yet many times the Earth hath been for mans sake punished with it and often hath tasted the rigour of this Element especially when that great quantity of waters drowned all the earth that there fell from the poares veines of the Heavens such streames for forty dayes which by their inundations prevailed 15. Cubits above the highest Mountaine and destroyed all Creatures except what was preserved in the Arke with good Noah How often hath Egypt been drowned by the inundation of the River Nilus How many thousand men have been devoured and destroyed in the waters How many have been buryed in the Bowels of fishes what greater testimony of the fury of this Element can be desired then that particuler deluge of Greece when the water devoured the Mayor part of Ibesalie in so much that they expected a second general destruction of Mankind according to the threatning rage fury and malice of it what a torment scourge and damage did the Romans find in the year 1530. by reason of the supernaturall overflowing of the River Tiber that covered the highest Towers c. of the City beside the losses of the Bridges Gold Silver Wheat Barly Moveables Furniture rich Hangings of Silke Gold and Silver which it carryed a way and Oyles spoyled and many other things with which were valued at above three Millions and there were drowned above three thousand Persons little and great men and women all destroyed in this imindation and by the force and fury of the waters as all modern Writers do affirme Garpa Contar in his Book of the four Elements writes that Valencia a City of Spain was at the point to be overwhelmed with all the Citizens thereof it 's not many years since and if it had not been succoured by extraordinary meanes and diligence it had been utterly destroyed by the fury of the swelling waters and if we should particularize and cast into reckoning the great losses and damages by extraordinanary Flouds Raines Hailes and Snowes in five or six thousand yeares which is the Worlds age it were never to make an end what thing is there in nature more admirable then Fire by vertue and operation of which all our stately Bankets Feasts and ordinary food is prepared and made savory to our Palats it preserves the life of many Creatures by meanes thereof all mettals are Colinated and made plyable for mans use it overcomes and softens stones c. with which we build Stately Palaces and Houses yet for all these and many other benefits which every hour we receive thereby how many famous Cities do we see destroyed made desolate and consumed to ashes by the furious rage of fire the most ancient testimony that can be produced to this effect is the holy writ which avers how that God Rained Fire and Brimstone from Heaven upon the Cityes of Sodome and Gomorrah The final destruction of the whole Earth we read and do believe shall be by fire and that the fury of this Element shall be the principal executioner of the Eternal Justice of God so the Prophets do declare and the Apostles affirme unto us if I would write and set down here in order the great number of famous Cityes which have been ruinated and destroyed throughout the World by reason of cruel Warres fire and sword as well in our dayes as in former time it would be an exceeding Tragick Story those that are curious and desirous to read and understand such things let them read the twelfe Book of Strabo also Rufino in the Apendix of Eusebus and the Triparty History of Amiano Marcelino and they shall find examples how there hath issued Fire Brimstone and Flames out of the tops of Mountaines the Bowells of the earth have consumed great Cityes with all their people In time of Lucius Marcius and Sextus Julius Consalls there brake forth so great a fire from a Cave betwixt two Mountaines that it burnt up and destroyed many Towns and Villages also with its fury it scortched and choaked the greatest part of the inhabitants thereof I could spend much time to relate the Storyes of very many famous Persons which have felt the fury and been suddenly destroyed by Rayes Thunders and Lightnings as Zoroastes King of the Backtrians Captain in the War of Thebes Ajax after the destruction of Troy the Emperour Anastasius in the 27. year of his Raigne with many other Emperours and Kings and Captains who dyed being smitten and consumed to ashes by the rage and fury of fiâ—y flashing lightning The Aire is a thing so necessary for the conservation of life that there is no Creature can live a moment without it yet often it hapneth to be so pernicious and cruel an enimy to Mankind when it corrupts and taints so that the greatest part of the Pestilences and raging sickness which I have spoken of have proceeded from the putrifaction and corruption of the Aire The Earth which is more affable and kind then all the rest the general Mother of us all for being born it nurses maintains sustaines us and at last receives and wraps us in her Bosome againe as if she were carefull to provide us a bed wherein to repose and take our last sleep in till God shall be pleased to call and set us before his Divine Majesty in that great day of his Judgement yet it is continually producing venomous poysons and unwholsome fruits by means of which our lives are many times cut short and brought to untimely ends how often hath it hapned by Earthquakes many Townâ— Villages and strong Fortifications have been overthrown how often hath she opened her mouth and swallowed up Cities Townes Men and whole heards of Catle so that no appearance or hardly memory hath remained of them but as the Spainyard saith aqui fue Troyo here was a famous City once now Corn fields in the dayes of Mithridates there was an Earthquake so stronge and furious that besides the sinking downfall of many Cities and Townes there were stifled overwhelmed and destroied above a hundred thousand Persons In the Reign of Constantine Son of the Emperor or Constantine the great there were in Asia sunk and swallowed up into the most hidden Bowells of the Earth so many Townes that the Historians could hardly give account of their number in the dayes of Isocrates and
for a Fable had not Joviano Pontano and Philadelphia affirmed it and their Book of Liberty Here you may see the good these are the gains and profits which arise from the covetuous keeping of Riches which men gather together with so much sweat and travell keep with so much care and anguish and leave behinde them after a very short enjoyment with double griefs sighs and tears I would desire no better testimony hereof than the ancient Romanes if we should proâ—uce â—hem for it they will tell us That when their Republique was governed by poore Magistrates it alwayes increased and grew greater better but after that they swelled and grew high proud with â—he victories of their predecessors with the destruction of Corinth Achaia Antioch France Greece Italy Aegypt and Spain then it began to grow worse and worse and faile of its precedent lustre glory magnificence and power For the great Victories Roberies Spoyles and prizes that they made abaited tainted and corrupted their good and wholsome Laws and Customes both Civill and Martiall and were cause and occasion of cruell civill Warrs amongst them so those that could not ever be conquered in Battell were overcome by luxury ease and superfluities in so much that the ill purchased riches were the avengers of their own or their right owners cause upon them and it hapned to them as to Cloth which breeds the Moth that devours it or the Corne which produceth the Worm that eats and destroys it concerning which it will not be unreasonable to use the saying of wise King Solomon who being an experienced enjoyer may prove an expert Chyrurgion to cure this Maladie who after he had gathered together and treasured up so much Riches that his Treasure was more and his Glory greater then all the best and greatest lustre of other Kings in the World having sufficiently tasted and tryed the delights and pastimes which attend Greatnesse and Riches left his opinion thereof in wrighting to after Ages saying viz. in the second of Ecclesiastes the fourth verse I made me great workes I builded me Houses I planted me Vineyards I made me Orchards and Planted Trees in them of all kindes of Fruits I made me Pools of Water therewith to water the wood that bringeth fourth trees I got me Servants and Maidens and had servants borne in my house also I had great possessions of great and small caâ—tell above all that were in Jerusalem before me I gathered me also Silver and Gold and the peculiar treasures of Kings and of Provinces I got me men-singers and women-singers and enjoyed the delights of the sonns of men more than any man living so I was so great and increased more than any of my predecessors and whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them I with-held not my heart from any joy for my heart rejoyced in all my labour then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought and on the labour that I had laboured to do and behold all was vanity and vexation of spirit and there was no profit under the sunne Let us likewise consider what the Prophet Baruch saith who applies not so charitable a medicine as the former to those that put their trust in aime at nothing else but Delights and Riches which is of the Princes and Governours of the earth which do heap up Treasures and hide the Gold and Silver from the fight of the Sunne in the which most men put their confidence such who desire to attain get and keep wealth is endlesse are continually carefull and no man can dive into their secrets wilt thou understand where they are saith he alive in Hell and there remaines no trace or memorial of them c. Their covetuous Plots Designes or ill gotten Riches But its time to leave these avaritious Muck-wormes Idolizing and adoring their Treasures with the Patrocho mentioned by Aristophanes the Pigmalion of Virgil the Polinestor of Persio the Ovid of Horace the Galerano of Martial and the memorable Rich Glutton in the holy Gospel for the souls of men which are naturally Celestial Divine make no more account of the Mettalls of gold and silver then of the other excrements of the earth for certainly they are the superfluity and drosse thereof Le ts come now to treat briefly of the vice we call Envy which as Aristipo saith hath as neere Relation to Avarice as the Daughter to the Mother for the one proceeds from the other How many are there that are afflicted and tormented with this evill We are fallen into those times in the which the world is a meer hillock of Envy this is the most antient sin of all yet at this day it s of more vigour and strength and I was about to say it renews and recovers double force our fore-fathers felt the malicious strength thereof and experimented its vigour As example In Adam and the Snake Cain and Abell Jacob and Esau and their brethren Saul and David Achitophel and Hushi Haman and Mordecai all which persecuted one the other and that out of pure Malice which was rooted in their hearts and out of a covetous and envious desire to enjoy their Livings Goods and Lands but all this is nothing in comparison of the disorder which in our dayes is amongst Christians for Malice is so increased and common in our dayes that if you shall finde any so beautifull as Absolom so strong as Sampson so wise as Solomon dextrous and light as Azael rich as Cresus liberal as Alexander a Hector in force and skill Eloquent as Homer as fortunate as Augustus as just as Trajan and zealous as Cicero its certain he shal not be loved respected and esteemed by so many but he shall be persecuted and Envyed by more This furious vice doth not turn it self onely against those of midle rank or low degree but against the grandees of the world those of high conditions and that when they least think thereof or expect it and when Fortune hath raised them to the height and when they are or think themselves most sure and setled in the Grace and favour of Kings and Princes then even then doth the Devill set a work his engines preparations and subtile devises to cast them down lay them low and frustrate their designes and purposes for which cause that wise Emperour Marcus Aurelius was wont to say That Envy was so cruel and venomous a Serpent that no mortals that are born into the world can escape from its wounds its insolencies and its poisonous poisons for saith he I have read many Books written by Greeks Latines Hebrews and Caldeans containing Treatises and disputations betwixt learned men endeavouring to procure a remeady against Envious persons they found no other remeady to avoid this evill then to avoid flye and sequester our selves from good Fortune the cause of all this is because we are the sons of Envy born with Envy and he that most layeth a side height laieth aside most Envy by reason of
of Christ As the lightning riseth fourth of the East and in a moment sets in the West even so shall the comming of the son of man bee there shall be in those dayes great tribulations such as was not since the beginning of the world untill this time nor ever shall be Mat. 24. The Sun shall become dark the Moon shall give no more light the Stars shall fall from Heaven the Waves of the Sea shall swell roare and make a noise that men shall fall down deadwith feare thereof the Powers of heaven shall be shaken Wo unto them saith he that are with Childe and give suck in those dayes For as in the dayes of Noah before the floud they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage untill the day that Noah entred into the Arke and knew not till the floud came and took them away So also shall the comming of the Son of man be then shall all the tribes of the Earth mourn and many shall run and hide themselves in the holes and caverns of the earth they shall say unto the mountains fall upon us to the hills cover and hide us from the face of the Judge that sits upon the Throne Blow the Trumpet in Sion sound an alarum in my holy mountain saith the Prophet Joel let all the Inhabitants of the earth tremble for the day of the Lord commeth and is nigh at hand a day of gloominesse a day of clouds and thick darknesse all the inhabitants of the world shall be burned fire shall scorch and consume the face of the Earth and burning flames shall destroy it His throne saith Daniel Dan. 7. 10. was like flames of fire and the wheeles of his Charriot like burning coales a feirce stream issued and came forth from before him this shall be the forerunner and discoverer of his Campe now after this irefull vengeance of God is executed and fulfilled against the four Elements the dead shall come forth out of their Graves and monuments by the wonderfull Command Power and Providence of God and the bones with the other parts of the body shall seek and finde out its proper Veines and Nerves with the Flesh which hath rotted in the Earth all those which have been devoured by cruell ravenous Beasts and Birds of the Heaven all those which the Sea hath swallowed up and Fishes devoured all that which hath been turned into vapours by the Ayre and all those which the Fire hath consumed shall be reduced to its first being and turn to its first proper shape and essence all the blood that hath been unjustly shed by Thieves Robbers Murderers bloody Tyrants Mercenary and Corrupted Judges it shall all appear there not one drop thereof shall be wanting from Abel which was the first that was slain to the last hair of the head of any of them which cannot perish If it was a strange dreadfull and extraordinary thing to see how willingly the bruit Animals left the Earth the natural and common Mother fosterer and cherisher of all Creatures flying from the anger and vengeance of Almighty God to put and inclose themselves in the Arke of Noah as if they begged succour from him as if they had had some foresight of the approach of Gods wrath upon the world How much more fearfull a spectacle shall it be to see poore miserable and wretched sinners to appear before the dreadfull Tribunal of Gods Justice where all the Books shall be opened I mean that God and all the world will plainly see the inormous Crimes and Offences of which our Consciences are full and with which our hearts and soules are cankered that which now we so closely mask and hide shall then be made manifest to all If the vaile of the Temple rent the earth trembled the Sun hide his face at the injury done to Christ crucified With what face with what shame with what horrour shall a multitude of impudent carelesse and unhappy sinners look upon that just Judge whom not only every day but every moment they have offended blasphemed and with a thousand sensuall and deceiptfull fooleries displeased If the sight of one Angel alone doth astonish us so that its insufferable as St. John affirms who not being able to behold so great a brightnesse fell down with his eyes towards the Earth as if he had been dead And Esayas after he had seen an Angel confesseth That all the joynts of his body were loosned with feare The children of Israel meerly out of exceeding dread said to Moses Speak thou to us and we will hear thee for we cannot suffer this voice which comes from heaven it makes us ready to dye with feare although the speech of Angels have been so very gracious and milde on some occasions how shall miserable sinners abide or endure the terrible voice the exceding glory of the Majesty of God seated in the Throne of his Power when he shall say what the Prophets writ The houre is come to avenge me of my Adversaries now will I satisfie my anger for they shall know that I am Lord of all I will go forth and meet them in the way and like a Beare robbed of her Whelps teare them in peices although I have long kept silence been patient and hitherto passed by your iniquities Henceforth I will cry out like a woman in travel I will kill and destroy at once I will consume all Plants and fruits make the fruitfull hills deserts dry up the Rivers Fountaines and Lakes turne darknesse into light I called to them and they would not hear stretched forth my hand unto them and they would not take notice they dispised my councel and contemned my correction I also will laugh at their destruction and scoffe when I avenge my self on them when they call upon me in their troubles I will stop mine ears and will not hear them and when they seek me they shall not finde me If the heavens are impure in his sight and the very Angels are faulty before the rigour of his Divine justice what shall betide us poore miserable wretches what shall we finde who are a clod of earth a small Cottage of Clay whose foundation is in the dust and laden with the blame of original sin before we were delivered from our mothers wombe and if the Just shall hardly be saved what shall become of the wicked and unjust the number of which is to great for as the holy Scripture teacheth us there are many called but few chosen especially in such a strict and dangerous time as this is when the secrets of all hearts shall be manifestly laid open Here the great Monarchs and Princes shall give an account of the great taxes which unreasonably they have exacted of their Subjects but especially Usurpers and Tyrants who have much more to answer for besides the multitude of Gods poore sheep which in stead of shearing they have slain the innocent blood which they have caused to be spilt Here our Merchants Shopkeepers and